QUETTA: At least 11 coal miners lost their lives and seven others were injured when a roadside bomb targeted their vehicle heading to Shahrag Bazaar from the Takari coal field in Harnai district, on Friday.

Officials said the coal miners were being taken to Shahrag town for weekly grocery shopping when their vehicle was targeted on the road connecting Shahrag town to the coal area of Takari.

No group has claimed responsibility for the bomb attack.

“As a result of the powerful explosion nine mine labourers lost their lives on the spot and nine others got injured as the vehicle was completely destroyed in the blast,” Harnai Deputy Commis­sioner Hazrat Wali Agha told Dawn, adding that the Levies force and personnel of other security forces rushed to the site and shifted the bodies and injured to Shahrag rural health centre.

“We had received nine bodies and nine injured at the rural health centre,” the hospital officials said, adding that two seriously injured miners later died during the treatment that increased the death toll to 11.

The seven injured were shifted to the Civil Hospital, Quetta. “We have received seven injured of the Shahrag bomb blast. They have been admitted. Two of them whose condition is serious have been shifted to the ICU,” said Dr Wasim Baig, the spokesman for the hospital.

“The mine workers were going to Shahrag Bazaar to purchase vegetables, food items and their other daily use items for next week,” the deputy commissioner said, adding that they usually go to Shahrag town every Friday, their weekly off.

Levies officials said an improvised explosive device was used in the attack.

Later, bomb disposal officials, who collected evidence from the crime-scene, said the IED was detonated with a remote control device and huge amount of explosive material was used in the attack.

The bodies of the victims would be dispatched to their native Swat areas.

Among the victims, Iqbal Hussain, Javed, Umer Ali, Dulatmand, Bacha Hussain, Hazrat Khan, Hanifullah Gul, Rehmatullah, Ayazullah and Rehmat Shahid were identified, while the injured included Mohtaram, Abdul Malik, Bakht Zahir, Yarzada, M. Rawan and Shabaz Ali.

Harnai district has witnessed many firing and blast incidents during the last one year.

In October, 21 coal miners were killed while arson attacks on coal trucks were also reported.

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Balochistan Governor Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhail, Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti and provincial ministers condemned the attack.

They expressed deep sorrow over the incident and expressed heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the families of the deceased workers, assuring them that the government stands with the bereaved families and would not leave them alone in this difficult time.

CM Bugti ordered an immediate and comprehensive probe into the terrorist attack and emphasised that a rigorous operation would continue against elements seeking to disrupt the peace of Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2025